Tips for a Smooth Camping Adventure

Nothing could be worse than embarking on a long awaited family camping trip just to end up feeling like your living the script of Chevy Chase's latest National Lampoon's vacation. Getting lost, leaving behind equipment, forgetting the food - or worse! - forgetting the toilet paper - can all lead to a family vacation worth forgetting. But, a smooth camping trip is not all that hard to accomplish. The key is in the planning. A well-planned camping trip will equal a well-remembered adventure!

First things first: Ask your family! Are you the only one who can't wait to go camping? If the answer is 'yes', then you might want to rethink the camping idea. A surefire way to ruin any vacation, particularly an adventurous outdoor camping vacation, is to take along reluctant travelers. Or, maybe you could find a point of compromise. Maybe the others don't like the idea of sleeping in a tent. In that case, find campgrounds that offer cabins, or rent an RV for your camping adventure! You could have all of the campfires and sing-a-longs you want without the mosquitoes.

Make a List: Packing the sleeping bags may seem like a no-brainer, but many a camping trip has been ruined by such a mistake. To ensure you don't leave behind any necessary equipment, make a checklist… and check it! Be sure to write your camping checklist several weeks before the actual trip. This way, you will have time to add items you may have overlooked on your first draft. It also allows plenty of time to buy or borrow any items you don't already have. Once you have all of your equipment, keep it all together until the big day arrives. Then, allow a fresh pair of eyes to re-check the list as you pack the car. It would be a good idea to suggest each camper make a similar list of personal items and incidentals and re-check with a partner in a similar manner.

Weather: Nothing ruins any outdoor adventure, let along an overnight camping trip, like bad weather. Granted, you can not always plan around Mother Nature, but working with her patterns in weather will lessen the odds that your camping trip ends in a wash out.

Avoid the rainy season. Rain isn't always easy to predict, but if your camping region has a determined rainy season, it is best to plan your trip around it. Similarly, avoid camping during the heat and humidity of the summer season. While the summer season is ideal for vacationing, with the kids out of school, excessive heat and humidity can lead to a lot more than discomfort. If you are not used to physical activity in such weather, you run the risk of suffering from exhaustion and dehydration. Likewise, camping in subzero temperatures should be left for those climbing Mt. Everest.

With the preplanning of your camping trip complete, there is nothing left to do but get going! And when your family asks for another camping trip next year, don't forget to preplan!